San Juan College dean outlines trades programs and employer ties that lead students into local jobs

Troy Brown, dean of Trades and Technology at San Juan College, told the Mayor’s Table that the college’s hands-on trade programs are built to move students directly into careers with local employers.

"We create relationships and get those people great careers," Brown said, describing how instructors combine lecture and shop time so students quickly apply classroom lessons to real work. He said many programs are two-year certificates or associate-degree pathways and emphasized practical training, blueprint reading and repeated shop practice.

Brown said welding is the college’s most popular program and runs as an intensive two-year sequence with cohorts capped at about 25 students, while building-trades cohorts typically run 12–15 students. He noted the college fields career-focused programs in diesel, auto tech (including manufacturer-aligned programs with Mopar and Toyota), cosmetology, drafting/CAD and emergency-services training for firefighters and police.

On employer demand, Brown and the Moderator said regional companies actively recruit students. Brown described a diesel student in an apprenticeship who had multiple job offers, and he highlighted a recent student success: John Parker, a dual-credit diesel student who won a national gold medal at the SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta and is now employed.

The program also seeks to adapt to new technologies. Brown said San Juan College has an electric vehicle and fuel-cell certificate listed in its catalog and is working with local dealerships to make the training viable. "It's kind of been sluggish," he said of the EV program, adding that the college expects to pursue new partnerships to expand the offering.

Brown discussed instructor credentials and manufacturer partnerships, saying the college benefits from experienced instructors and industry-aligned credentials. The Moderator noted that five of the state's seven "master mechanics" teach at the college; Brown and the Moderator presented that as a sign of strong instruction. That specific claim was made on air and was not independently verified during the interview.

Brown said the college recruits regionally—students come from places as distant as Denver and Colorado Springs—and that the college would like to expand recruiting capacity. He invited HVAC and plumbing professionals to help design a sustainable program and asked interested industry partners to join an advisory board to shape curriculum and long-term demand alignment.

Prospective students can learn about programs on the San Juan College website. Brown gave his office number on the episode for direct inquiries: 505-566-3279.

The Moderator closed the episode by thanking Brown and urging viewers to explore San Juan College’s Trades and Technology offerings and local apprenticeship paths.